Chapter 598: Count Jing’an (1)

She really hoped He Changdi hadn’t heard that... Unfortunately, He Sanlang’s senses were too darned sharp.

Chu Lian turned her body slightly and peeked up at him, blushing. She only managed to catch the defined line of his jaw before she quickly hunkered back down and shut her eyes.

She gripped the purse hanging at her waist tightly with her hands. Her body started to tremble.

He Sanlang pulled Chu Lian into his embrace easily. Her back was pressed right against his muscled chest and she could feel it moving as he breathed.

He Changdi’s gaze wandered downwards. From this angle, he could see the trembling of Chu Lian’s lashes. A smile curved on his lips. His slender fingers made quick work of the button near her collar and travelled further down. Wherever his hand trailed, buttons popped open in his wake. One, two, ...

When all the buttons of Chu Lian’s jacket were undone, the white undershirt she wore underneath was revealed.

Chu Lian was paralysed by her shyness. Her eyes were shut tight as He Sanlang’s fingers continued working. Her white undershirt was now open, leaving her daisy-coloured breast band exposed. Two soft lumps were barely visible under the thin, plum tree embroidered fabric.

He Changdi’s even breathing sped up as his pupils dilated.

He couldn’t resist covering one of the lumps with his palm and squeezing a little.

Chu Lian had her eyes shut, so she couldn’t see anything, but her other senses had become clearer as a result. She could feel the layers of her clothing being peeled away. She could feel the hot puffs of breath washing over her. Her bashfulness overcame her.

He Sanlang took an arduous gulp. His fingers pulled away the last barrier between them.

The snowy peaks topped with enticing red plums came into his view. His wife’s pale skin looked even more beautiful when contrasted against her clothes.

However, the peak on the left was slightly reddened. Of course, it was the one he had accidentally bumped into...

Chu Lian’s skin was tender and fragile. It was easy to leave marks on it. She was clumsy and didn’t take much care, so there was always a small jar of bruise balm in the room. The bruise balm had been made personally by Great Doctor Miao, so its effects went without saying.

He Changdi suppressed the growing desire in him. He shut his eyes and took some bruise balm onto his palm before carefully applying it to the swollen part of Chu Lian’s chest.

Chu Lian could feel his movements, and her eyes fluttered open in surprise.

Here she had been thinking bad things about him, when he was only being a gentleman.

She pressed her lips together. However, when she looked down and watched what He Changdi was doing to her exposed chest, with her shirt open, the blush that had just faded returned in full force.

Although He Changdi kept a serious expression on his face, his hands weren’t as well-behaved. He didn’t go overboard though. After applying the balm, he immediately started buttoning Chu Lian’s clothes back up.

Once her clothes had been straightened out, the flush on Chu Lian’s cheeks finally retreated. She buried her face into He Sanlang’s chest without a word.

“Don’t you have any questions for me?” He Changdi smiled and stroked her back.

Chu Lian pushed him away and looked up to admire the nice line of He Changdi’s jaw. “Why did you come to Qingxi Hall so abruptly?”

He Changdi had appeared right in the nick of time, just when she had been put on the spot by Eldest Madam. It was too much of a coincidence. Furthermore, He Changdi usually wouldn’t return from the Ministry of War that early.

“You were being bullied so badly. How could I not return?”

Chu Lian frowned. She didn’t believe his joking tone.

As expected, He Sanlang tenderly stroked her smooth cheek. Then, he sighed and said, “I knew that Aunt wouldn’t let you off after finding out that you went to Prince Wei’s Estate, so I had someone watch her movements. The moment anything happened, they came to inform me.” That was how he had been able to arrive at the right moment.

Chu Lian was touched. He had been even more considerate than she had expected.

She had been pushed to the brink today, otherwise she wouldn’t have insulted He Ying right to her face in front of the matriarch. Now it all depended on the matriarch. If the matriarch’s eyes opened and saw the situation for what it was, then she might be safe. If the matriarch remained muddleheaded, however, then all the blame would fall upon her. Even if He Changdi stood by her then, it wouldn’t be of any help. The Great Wu Dynasty was built on the foundations of filial piety, so the law wouldn’t be on her side.

Chu Lian told him what happened when she had gone to Prince Wei’s Estate today.

“Princess Wei agreed to help us stop Grandmother’s token from reaching the palace. Princess Wei won’t let anything through, so we can rest easy on that front.”

He Changdi saw that there was a mix of naivete and cunning in his bewitching wife’s eyes, so he couldn’t resist bending down to steal a kiss from her lips. He let out a low chuckle and said, “I feel that Princess Wei treats you rather well.”

Chu Lian didn’t find it strange. “Princess Wei treats me well because I saved Royal Princess Duanjia that one time and we became friends later.”

He Sanlang smoothed over his wife’s soft locks, smiling all the while. What he left unsaid was that Princess Wei hadn’t had any connection to ‘Chu Lian’ in their past life. Royal Princess Duanjia didn’t even know her then. When they had met with Prince Wei and his wife one time, the couple had clearly shown disdain and contempt towards ‘Chu Lian’ due to the rumours around her.

However, things were completely different in this life.

The one who was the most different was the wife in his arms.